Not all nutrition approaches are created equal nor all nutritionists for that matter. When it comes to your own health it is important to understand the difference before you invest your valuable time, energy, and money. I believe and encourage each of my clients to do their research when they are looking for a nutritionist. The ultimate goal is that you find the right approach and person for you and your specific needs.
Why the Traditional Approach May Not Be For You
Traditional approaches to nutrition are often very black and white. These approaches give solid rules that are not to be broken. This approach can be demanding on your time as well as on your brain space. A more traditional approach to nutrition can start out being helpful but it can be so rigid it’s hard for my clients to sustain and live this way.
When it comes to nutritionists, in much of the United States anyone can call themselves a nutritionist with little to no training. While many people practicing nutrition genuinely mean well, the lack of formal education can lead to misinformation and can cause harm.
Let’s dive a little deeper so that by the end of this you will be able to seek out the nutritionist with the approach and expertise that best aligns with your health goals.
Number 1: Nutritionist vs. Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS)
There is a LOT of nutrition information out there. It can be really overwhelming to navigate. Particularly when we are already not feeling well and need help.
I previously wrote about the difference between a Coach, a Registered Dietitian (RD), and a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS). You can check that out as well for a more in-depth explanation as you look deeper at your options.
Anyone Can Be a “Nutritionist”
In many states in the United States, you could wake up tomorrow and call yourself a nutritionist regardless of your background. Many people practicing nutrition are coaches, or are in the health industry. Many have gone through some training usually focused on a single approach to nutrition. There are also a lot of product companies that train people to use their supplements and these people may also call themselves nutritionists.
A Certified Nutrition Specialist Has a Master’s Degree & Must Pass a Board Examination to Achieve Credentials
A CNS is a more thorough education as we are required to get a Master’s Degree specifically in clinical nutrition. We are also required to have 1000 hours of supervised practice as well as take a board examination.
A Certified Nutrition Specialist & Registered Dietician have Similar Levels of Education & Medical Standard Requirements
In the USA, there are only 2 routes to legally practice Medical Nutrition Therapy: the Registered Dietician (RD) route and the CNS route. Both of these professionals are required to be educated, seek continuing education, and to answer to a board which leads to more ethical practice.
A coach or nutritionist without these designations will not be held to these standards. Check out the ANA website to look deeper at these standards.
Number 2: Understand Root Cause vs Symptom Management
Traditional nutrition approaches seek to manage symptoms with general dietary guidelines. If you have a diagnosis like PCOS you will be told to reduce your carbohydrate intake for example. Some nutritionists will recommend supplementation – which should not be done without a proper deep dive into your entire health picture, the medications you are taking, and a look at your bloodwork.
At IFxN, we believe in the importance of taking a deeper look at the root cause of your symptoms and concerns. We need to understand not just what your symptoms are, but the why behind those symptoms–hormonal imbalances, gut health, inflammation, relationship to food, etc. We seek to empower you, as the client, to understand your body and your symptoms.
If you have PCOS at IFxN we will not simply say, “avoid carbs,” we will investigate other important factors to your health such as inflammation, digestive function, metabolic health, mental health concerns, and other co-occurring illnesses. Recommendations also take into account your real life so that nutrition doesn’t feel like a full-time job. It needs to be something that works with you, and supports you, as we focus on progress and not perfection.
Number 3: One-Size-Fits-All vs Personalized Approach
Have you ever read a diet book and felt completely overwhelmed by the advice? Or even a more lifestyle or self-help book that may have been written by a doctor? You hoped that this would be the answer so you worked hard to follow those recommendations but ultimately couldn’t stick with it? Yeah…me too. It sucks.
Looking for nutrition advice is often overwhelming, to put it lightly. When you do find help it is pretty much one-size-fits-all advice. Even working with some nutritionists or dieticians you may find that their recommendations are based on government-issued guidelines like MyPlate or the Food Pyramid.
From years of working with clients who feel burned out, ready to give up, and feeling pretty isolated or misunderstood, I am clear that we all need a more personalized and functional approach to nutrition and even our mental health.
What you need is a personalized approach that sees you as a whole and as unique human being. You are a unique individual with unique biology, genetics, needs, and wants. We each have unique day-to-day lives with different demands on our time and energy, which is why IFxN takes a personalized approach. When seeking support you need to be understood and seen on all those levels. You need a functional, personalized approach.
As an example: a traditional nutritionist may suggest the same macronutrient split for everyone. IFxN will not only personalize your recommendations, but will also seek to resolve underlying issues wherever possible. We look at what your goals are, and what you need and want to do to get there. We work on this together, and we walk with you along the way too!
Number 4: Calories-in/Calories-out vs Holistic Healing
I hate the “calories-in/calories-out” mentality. It is not only not true, but is harmful. It reduces your health down to a focus on your size as the only marker of health. It also places all the blame for any symptoms squarely on your shoulders. This approach may lead to disordered eating and other medical and health complications, which may not help you along the way.
Let’s be extremely clear–your symptoms are not your fault.
There are so many factors that contribute to the health of any one person and the fact that you have a fondness for ice cream is certainly not to blame as the reason you are not feeling your best.
The traditional approach to nutrition is often based on caloric intake, restriction of specific foods, and other measures that reduce your diet in some way. The focus is exclusively on food as the culprit and the solution.
Food is Only One Piece of the Puzzle When it Comes to Your Health & Wellbeing
Here’s the thing though, while I’m a big fan of food and nutrition, it is only one piece of your puzzle. What about your stress levels, sleep, movement, emotional well-being? All of these are important factors that must be accounted for as well as your diet.
If you have digestive issues you need more than recommendations to increase your fiber (in fact, more fiber in some instances will cause more harm). We need to look at your stress, hydration, gut microbiome, and nervous system regulation. In short, you need a holistic approach.
This is about really seeing you, believing you, listening to you, and discovering together what’s going to work to improve your energy, your life, and your overall health.
Number 5: Minimal or No Testing vs Advanced Lab Work
Traditional nutrition approaches focus mainly on anthropometric measurements–BMI, weight tracking, and sometimes a few other health markers. This approach leads most of us to feel that the only thing that matters about our health is our size, which is simply not true. Not to mention that some of these measurements are outdated and do not apply to all people, because they weren’t studied across population demographics.
We Look Beyond Your Weight or Body Size to Understand Your Health
When dealing with any health concern your size is not what caused the development or perpetuation of your struggles. Rather, looking deeper into your health requires a few things: a thorough understanding of your symptoms and lifestyle, understanding of your family health history, a clear picture of your food intake, and thorough lab workups (among other things).
There are many different labs that can be run to help get to the bottom of your symptoms. At IFxN we have clients start by getting a full physical work up from their doctor including blood work that assess nutrient status.
We also offer functional labs. These labs are not diagnostic, but give you a good picture of what is going on in your body to help us get at the root of your issues. The most common labs we run are hormone panels and microbiome/gut testing.
Why this matters–let’s say you are struggling with anemia. Rather than simply recommending you eat more iron-rich foods we want to dig into your symptoms deeper. Do you have issues in your gut that make it harder for you to absorb? Maybe your thyroid is functioning poorly. Testing helps us get to the bottom of these and many other questions.
Finding the Right Nutritionist & the Right Fit
Everyone has different health goals that they want to accomplish. That is why doing a little research before working with a nutritionist can go a long way toward helping you further those goals.
If you are dealing with a medical condition you need to work with someone who can offer you medical nutrition therapy, which means working with e Certified Nutrition Specialist or Registered Dietician here in Utah. Even if you do not suffer from a medical condition seeking help from a qualified and thoroughly trained professional, who understands the medical side and components like personalized labwork, can save you time, energy, and money.
The difference between a holistic approach to nutrition that uses both science and counseling skills is an investment in your long-term well being. Your health journey is personal. You need a nutrition approach that works specifically for YOU.
My promise to you is that if we work together I’m going to look deep at what’s happening, I’m going to be committed to your goals, and I’m going to respect you and your choices. This is about empowering you as we focus on balance and growth.
If you are tired of generic nutrition advice that falls short, it’s time to go deeper. It’s easy to get started. Book your free consultation today, and I can’t wait to talk with you more about what you need!
